By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com

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Independent/Barrett Stinson Grand Island Senior Highıs Mike Tomlin (right center) races to the finish line ahead of Mike Pettiford of Lincoln Southeast as he anchors the GISH boys 4X100 meter team to a 44.18 second win Saturday afternoon during the Grand Island Track and Field Invitational. Independent/Barrett Stinson Sally Studley of North Platte (right) cannot catch Grand Island Senior Highıs Allison Jorgensen at the end of the girls 100 meter dash as Jorgensen wins the race Saturday at the Grand Island Track and Field Invitational. Click Thumbnails to View

The Grand Island Senior High senior was supposed to be out another month while recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the football season.

"Last week I was four weeks ahead of where I was supposed to be," Tomlin said. "I'm pretty happy with where I'm at right now."

There he was Saturday, anchoring G.I.'s 400-meter relay team (Nathan Cheek, Zach Christensen, Curtis Hudiburgh, Tomlin) to a victory at the Grand Island Invitational in a season's best time of 44.2 seconds.

Tomlin's performance helped the Islanders to the team title with 120.5 points. Norfolk was second with 106.

Grand Island coach Montie Fyfe said it's great to have Tomlin back on the track, but it's his leadership that makes him so valuable to the team.

"He's been a leader even as he's been going through his rehabilitation," Fyfe said. "He's been there for all the workouts. He's led us in stretching. He's just a tremendous leader. That's a huge piece of the whole thing with Mike.

"Mike scoring points for us is important, but what he brings to the entire team is even more important."

Tomlin actually returned to the track a week ago at the Buffalo Bill Invitational in North Platte and said his knee was a little sore after that meet.

"We were a little concerned after last week because he was a little sore, but it was just tendonitis," Fyfe said. "We're going to be in good shape with him."

Tomlin, who is going to Chadron State to play football and long jump next year, blew out his right ACL the third week of the football season in a game at Millard North.

"Taking six months off like that after football was a bad time," Tomlin said. "It wasn't much fun at all."

But he's having fun now. The Islanders travel to the Papillion-South Invitational on Thursday and Tomlin plans to run the 100, 200, 400 relay and 1,600 relay.

"We'll see how I do with that," Tomlin said. "I'm pretty sure I'll be OK with that if I just keep it iced down."

Grand Island got a bunch of its points in the sprints and hurdles. Christensen won the 100 (11.0) with Cheek third. Cheek won the 200 (22.6) with Christensen second.

Brandon Grotzky was second in the 110 high hurdles while Robbie Osberg was third and Elijah Mason fourth.

"Those two groups are very, very talented," Fyfe said. "They can usually score anywhere from 10 to 16 points for each one of those races. We have some places where we can do damage. It's just a matter of getting depth at the other events."

Fyfe said when he scored the meet before hand, he had Norfolk beating Grand Island by 56 points, but the Islanders pulled through as a team.

"That's what is so special about this group right now," Fyfe said. "They're very cohesive. In track and field, it's hard to get boys to be cohesive because it's such an individual sport. Right now they're supporting each other. Whenever we ask them to do something, they don't question us. They just do whatever is asked of them."

The Grand Island girls finished in third place in the team race with 104 points behind Lincoln Southeast with 148.5 and Norfolk with 112.5.

"I was very pleased with the performances of the team today," Grand Island coach Jeff Stern said. "We had some great competition with Lincoln Southeast and I think our kids really stepped up and ran well. We had some outstanding PRs today."

Junior Allison Jorgensen had a good day for the Islanders by winning the 100 in 12.5. She also teamed with Suzanne Higgins, Michaela Knuth and Alicia McMahon to win the 400 relay (51.5).

Grand Island's McKayla Gowen won the shot put (36-8) while Tana O'Boyle won the triple jump (33-10).

"I thought Allison Jorgensen ran a terrific 100 and she did very well in the four-by-one and the four-by-four," Stern said. "Tana O'Boyle had a good day and scored points for us in the long jump, triple jump, four-by-four and 300 hurdles.

"There are some kids who had some great performances."